Content about Christian Democrats

From France and Holland to Slovakia and Greece, governments are falling victim to a European wide backlash against austerity. It seems no pro-austerity party is safe, with even Angela-Merkel’s Christian Democrats suffering a humiliating collapse in recent regional elections. Suddenly, it seems the debate in Europe is shifting away from austerity and towards a greater emphasis on boosting growth and creating jobs. So what is behind all this sudden talk of growth in Ireland and Europe and is the Fiscal Treaty fast becoming a dead duck?

From France and Holland to Slovakia and Greece, governments are falling victim to a European wide backlash against austerity. It seems no pro-austerity party is safe, with even Angela-Merkel’s Christian Democrats suffering a humiliating collapse in recent regional elections. Suddenly, it seems the debate in Europe is shifting away from austerity and towards a greater emphasis on boosting growth and creating jobs.

The Irish political establishment are desperately spinning a new story line – that they were for growth all along and that they welcome the election of Hollande in France.

They claim that Hollande has only demanded an additional item or a protocol to the Fiscal Treaty which would encompass growth.

This is a lie because Hollande explicitly said, “he will re-negotiate the treaty on budgetary discipline not only for France, but for the whole of Europe," during a campaign speech in Paris on Saturday (17 March), adding that the pact focuses on austerity only and does little to spur economic growth.

Hollande’s victory has also to be seen in the much wider context of a European revolt against the politics of austerity. The electoral revolt has been most dramatic in Greece, where the two main parties who backed the memorandum with the Troika have been decimated. Their vote shrunk from 77% to 33%.